The present invention relates generally to video and audio processing systems and more particularly to customized editing and/or censoring of video and/or audio signals.
The entertainment industry is producing an ever-increasing number of video and/or audio products for private and public use. Today, a consumer may rent or purchase a movie in a video cassette format, a laser disk format, a DVD format, or the home viewer may rent, or view, a movie via broadcasts from a local cable station or from a satellite broadcasting company. Similarly, for audio products, a consumer may purchase audiocassettes, CDs, or soundtracks, or listen to broadcast radio or satellite audio broadcasts. In addition to the numerous sources of audio and/or video merchandise, the content of such merchandise is more explicit than in the past. As such, the debate over how and who should censor such materials is increasing.
The movie industry has addressed the censorship issue by providing ratings to the movies it produces based on the audio and/or video content. Such ratings include: G indicating that the content is acceptable for general audiences; PG indicating that parental guidance is suggested since some of the content may be to mature for all persons; PG-13 indicating that the movie may be inappropriate for children under 13; R indicates that the movie is restricted such that no one under the age of 17 may view the movie, in a theater, without his or her parents; R-17 indicates that no one under the age of 17 is allowed to view the movie in a theater, and X indicating that the content is explicitly for adults. Based on these rating parents and/or guardians may monitor the movies in which they allow their children to view at a movie theater.
While the rating system works fairly well to restrict younger viewers from viewing inappropriate movies at public theaters, it only provides guidance for parents and/or guardians. With the explosion of audio and/or video resources, especially cable and satellite that are provided directly to the home, the challenge to monitor a child""s viewing choices is becoming an increasingly difficult task. To address this issue, the United States has undertaken a quest to establish a standard that would enable a parent to restrict their children""s viewing. Such a standard revolves around the V-chip technology. In essence, the V-chip technology allows a parent to enable a video and/or audio source receiver (e.g., television, cable box, satellite receiver) to restrict the showing of movies that the parents have deemed inappropriate for their children. As such, the parent can set the V-chip to any desired level of censoring.
While the V-chip technology allows parental control over viewing of movies, it is done in an all-or-nothing manner. In the all-or-nothing approach, a parent can establish the setting such that any movie that has a particular rating (e.g., PG-13) or greater will be blocked from being displayed. Many movies that have a mature rating include only a few scenes or use mature language, but otherwise would be appropriate for younger viewers. As such, these movies cannot be viewed. In addition, the censor ratings are established primarily by the video content providers, thus the public is subjected to the video content providers"" opinion of what is appropriate.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that allows selective editing and/or censoring of video materials and/or audio materials.